# Black and Tan



## zemekone (Aug 1, 2004)

Everytime I drink black and tans I can never get the Guinness float on top right! Any tips? BTW Im using Bass, a friend told me to use Harp? Thanks in advance!


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## hollywood (Feb 15, 2005)

zemekone said:


> Everytime I drink black and tans I can never get the Guinness float on top right! Any tips? BTW Im using Bass, a friend told me to use Harp? Thanks in advance!


Your friend is right. Bass will work, but is much harder to float right for some reason. Wen you pour the second layer; tip the glass until it is a bout to spill. Then very slowly pour and gradually tip up the glass at the same time. If you pour and tip correctly, it should work everytime. Mmmmmm! Good!


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## partagaspete (Apr 27, 2004)

It is easy I taught a bar in Italy how to to it right (they were advertising them but they were just mixing the two). My friends and I got alot of free drinks that night. 

The tip is: slowly pour the guinness off the back side of a petite blond..err I mean a spoon. I prefer to bend mine into a comfortable position the spoon as well as the blond.

T


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## partagaspete (Apr 27, 2004)

Also; to make a black and white use Harp instead of Bass.

T


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

1) Get a Brütül, it makes the layering much easier than any other layering tool I have tried. Pictured below.

2) Use stout in the "draught cans" IE the ones that contain the "widget" which is a ping pong ball looking thing that shoots extra air into the stout when you open the can. Do not use the new draught bottles as the "widget" in those is designed to shoot a little bit of air at a time over a long time to allow you to drink out of the bottle. When you get good at layering beers you won't need these special cans, and paying attention to the gravity of the beers can also make it easy. For beginners though these cans are great.

3) When you pour the first beer (the tan), pour it in roughly to get it to foam up a LOT. Remove further gas by swirling the beer around, alternating directions.

4) Don't wait for the first beer's head to die down, that will help to slow down the stout even more when you pour it in SLOWLY.

This works for me...
-Matt-

PS: Black & Tan is Guinness and Bass; Guinness and Harp is a Half and Half.


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

Other Recipes that work:

BLACK & TAN
Guinness - Bass Ale

BLACKTOP
Beamish - Fat Tire Amber Ale

HALF & HALF
Guinness - Harp Lager

PATRIOT
Guinness - Sam Adams Lager

SNAPPER
Murphy's - Redhook ESB

BOHEMIAN
Beamish - Pilsner Urquell

BLACK VELVET
Guinness - Champagne

BIG EASY
Beamish - Abita Amber Lager

SNAKEBITE
Guinness - Hard Cider

BUMBLE BEE
Murphy's - Dundee Honey Lager

BLACKSMITH
Guinness - Smithwick's Ale

Matt's (yet to be named) creation:
Young's Oatmeal Stout - Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA



-Matt-


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

Matt, your creation sounds wild...where do you get Dogfish head?


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

icehog3 said:


> Matt, your creation sounds wild...where do you get Dogfish head?


A grocery store nearby has a decent selection of premium beers, I get it there. I have also tried their Raison D'Etre. I would love to try their 90 and 120 minute IPAs but haven't found em yet. If you check dogfish.com they have a listing of distributors by state, call the distributor to find out who in your area they distribute to.. :al

-Matt-


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Great info Matt, somehow I knew you would have the answer  

I'll have to give some of those recipes a shot. I've had the 60 min IPA..I've heard the 120 will put you on your a$$


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## FrankB (Aug 1, 2003)

Dogfish Head is a great brewery. Very inventive, have yet to drink a bad brew. I have had the 120 minute IPA, and you are absolutely correct in that it will kick your butt;... but oh so tasty. Frank B


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## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

Thanks for the info Matt, I'm gonna check that out now.



txmatt said:


> A grocery store nearby has a decent selection of premium beers, I get it there. I have also tried their Raison D'Etre. I would love to try their 90 and 120 minute IPAs but haven't found em yet. If you check dogfish.com they have a listing of distributors by state, call the distributor to find out who in your area they distribute to.. :al
> 
> -Matt-


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## Jeff (Jan 2, 2005)

Man, you guys are so lucky that you are able to purchase beer in a grocery store. PA is so ultra conservative in that way. It keeps the price of beer artificially high. I end up crossing the border into NY where I go to a CVS pharmacy to pick up 12 packs that cost as much as 6 packs do in PA.

Two years ago a drove to Texas from PA. I couldn't believe it when I ventured into super Walmarts and saw the alcohol aisle.  It was more akin to how they do it in Europe.


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## MrINMENSO (Dec 2, 2004)

For any North Carolinians out there, I suggest Red Oak and Guiness...a local bar here calls it a Black Widow...mmmmm Dogfish rocks, but I too have only had the 60 min IPA...for some reason, as long as the stupid alcohol laws exist in my state, I won't be seeing anything much more potent than that.


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

Jeff said:


> Man, you guys are so lucky that you are able to purchase beer in a grocery store. PA is so ultra conservative in that way. It keeps the price of beer artificially high. I end up crossing the border into NY where I go to a CVS pharmacy to pick up 12 packs that cost as much as 6 packs do in PA.
> 
> Two years ago a drove to Texas from PA. I couldn't believe it when I ventured into super Walmarts and saw the alcohol aisle.  It was more akin to how they do it in Europe.


I avoid Super Walmart beer now. Maybe its just my location, but the beer is skunked almost ever time.

-Matt-


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## Nely (Nov 11, 2004)

I got to try this black and tan. I love beer but I have never taken it seriously. thanks matt!


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## Nely (Nov 11, 2004)

I just ordered the turtle and two of those beautiful glasses. Thanks for the link matt! :al


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## Nely (Nov 11, 2004)

I noticed last weekend that my beer would not layer, I followed matt's instructions but i think the problem was the beer. My wife had picked up the extra stout bottle, it's gotta be the draught bottle or cans right or else it won't layer?


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

Nely said:


> I noticed last weekend that my beer would not layer, I followed matt's instructions but i think the problem was the beer. My wife had picked up the extra stout bottle, it's gotta be the draught bottle or cans right or else it won't layer?


If its the guiness draught bottle that won't work, it slowly releases the carbonation. I have taken stout out of a normal bottle and layered it on ale though.

High gravity ales are easier to layer on. Pour the beer hard and fast. You will have 1/2 beer and half head filling a pint glass. The draught can stouts are the easiest but not required.


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## Nely (Nov 11, 2004)

txmatt said:


> If its the guiness draught bottle that won't work, it slowly releases the carbonation. I have taken stout out of a normal bottle and layered it on ale though.
> 
> High gravity ales are easier to layer on. Pour the beer hard and fast. You will have 1/2 beer and half head filling a pint glass. The draught can stouts are the easiest but not required.


ummm..my first try at layering was with the draught bottle and it was perfect. (now that you say it won't work I'm confused) It was the stout bottle that kept on mixing with the ale. So your recommendation for fool-proof layering is the draught can? Thanks!


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

Nely said:


> ummm..my first try at layering was with the draught bottle and it was perfect. (now that you say it won't work I'm confused) It was the stout bottle that kept on mixing with the ale. So your recommendation for fool-proof layering is the draught can? Thanks!


Yeah, I guess that was a bit confusing. Did you use the same beer on the bottom with both tries?

The thing about the draught bottle is it does release extra gas, but it does it a little at a time over a long period; so you can drink it from the bottle. It really shouldn't be any worse than a regular bottle, but I doubt it would be much better either.

The draught cans are definitely the easiest to float, you can even get the lighter one on top, unfortunately what I tried tonight mixed pretty shortly after pour. You can still see the darker at the bottom though. Professor, what is a very high gravity dark beer? I would love to take a picture of 2 glasses A Black&Tan next to a Tan&Black so to speak.


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## goose925 (Mar 27, 2005)

Man, I havn't had one of those in years,But after seeing TXMatt's pic,I got the urge to have on again.

yum!


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## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

Oh, that's a Boddington's draught can on top of a Bigfoot Barleywine ale if you were wondering..


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## Nely (Nov 11, 2004)

Yes I'm using Bass ale for my tan. I got another six pack of guiness draught bottle for this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes. You got me addicted to this brother!


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## Mopartoya (Mar 12, 2005)

Well, after reading this thread at work today, I got an urge for a black and tan.... Went to my local H.E.B. grocery store and they didn't have any good mixers for my Guiness.. So, trying to remember what Matt said about all the combos, I got a sixer of Amstel Light....cause they didn't have anything else but sam adams...which I don't like... So Matt, do you know what they call an Amstel/Guiness? Prolly not a name yet...I'm about to pour one and name it though... I'll get back to yall later on that.

Peace out! :w :al


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## SeanGAR (Jul 9, 2004)

The bigger the specific gravity difference bwteen the layers, the nicer they separate. High gravity generally means high alcohol, which lowers s.g. but high residual sugar increases s.g. Draft Guinness is a low alcohol low residual sugar beer and so layers well with many other beers. Me I like Guinness and Fullers ESB (not a big Bass fan). YUM.....


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## Mopartoya (Mar 12, 2005)

Welp, I just got done w/ a T-Bone steak and my contraption of a drink (Guiness Drought and Amstel light). Had a Indian Tabac Gorilla Maduro w/ my _Black and Amsterlber(for amber? _ The beer actually tasted pretty good! We need to make a better name though. It doesn't seperate tho.....at least w/ me pouring. Poured it Amstel then Guiness.

Finished the stogie w/ a Guiness Stout. Umm Umm good. First Stout I've had....but like I hinted in my previous post, I was really in the mood for a good dark beer. So, there I found myself at the grocery store getting a six pack of each...Guiness Stout, Guiness Drought, Amstel Light, and XX Green(for the wife). Mission accomplished! LOL. I definately like a dark heavy beer w/ a dark heavy stogie like that Gorilla is/was.

Not to blow this thread totally off course, but every Gorilla I've smoked seems to burn unevenly if the wrapper burns at all. Do they need more humi time? This one burned better than the last ones I smoked 2 weeks ago, but still needed touching up. :ms

Cheers :al


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## Mopartoya (Mar 12, 2005)

Call this a fluff, but I just noticed I've been mis-spelling Guinness religiously wrong..... Oops

:tpd:


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## RcktS4 (Jan 13, 2005)

icehog3 said:


> Matt, your creation sounds wild...where do you get Dogfish head?


Well, first you have to find a willing dogfish....


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